Certain Blacks marks 10 years with free outdoor festival at Royal Docks

Quick highlights:

• Ensemble Festival 2025 to be held on 26–27 July at Royal Victoria Docks, London.
• Free outdoor event featuring circus, dance, street art and physical theatre.
• Highlights include new works by Sadiq Ali, Vidya Thirunarayan and Miss High Leg Kick.
• This year marks the 10th anniversary of organisers Certain Blacks.

This summer, London’s historic Royal Victoria Docks will transform into a hub of vibrant outdoor performance as Ensemble Festival 2025 returns on 26 and 27 July. Presented by arts organisation Certain Blacks, the free weekend event features an interesting line-up of new circus, dance and street theatre works, while also celebrating a decade of championing diverse and underrepresented artists.

Immersive outdoor theatre meets urgent new voices

Set across two full days, the Ensemble Festival 2025 programme includes exciting new commissions such as Tell Me by Sadiq Ali Co., a Chinese pole circus piece tackling HIV stigma, and Holy Dirt, a visceral collaboration between director David Glass and Indian artist Vidya Thirunarayan.

Vidya Thirunarayan in Holy Dirt brings myth and ritual into raw physical form The Clay Connection

The festival also sees the return of audience favourite Miss High Leg Kick with Palais de Danse, a multi-sensory throwback to the 1950s dance hall era. Nandita Shankardass’s Roots to Rise brings together Indian classical movement with contemporary dance to explore memory, ancestry and women’s resilience. Other acts range from aerial theatre in Hug by Levantes Dance Theatre to climate-themed installations like Hydropunk by Artizani and Tenderfoot Theatre.

Sadiq Ali's pole performance explores HIV stigma with athletic graceLuke Whitcomb

Certain Blacks marks 10 years of championing diversity

2025 is a milestone year for Certain Blacks, the East London-based organisation behind Ensemble Festival. Known for spotlighting talent from across socio-economic, ethnic, gender and neurodiverse backgrounds, Certain Blacks has become a vital force in the UK arts scene.

Sadiq Ali delivers a daring upside-down act in his powerful show Luke Whitcomb

“Our aim has always been to bring diverse artists from the margins into the mainstream,” said artistic director Clive Lyttle. “This year’s Ensemble Festival reflects that, with a powerful mix of voices and perspectives, many being showcased on this scale for the first time.”

Ensemble Festival forms part of Without Walls, a major UK network that supports ground-breaking outdoor performance. As one of its partners, Certain Blacks plays a key role in shaping new work for public spaces across the country.

Dancers in Nandita Shankardass’s Roots to Rise connect movement with memoryJohn Evans

The festival remains accessible with step-free access and dedicated facilities, and also continues its commitment to sustainability with green practices across production.

Full details of the line-up and timings are available on www.certainblacks.com.